Toxic-Free Thanks Giving

Are you inviting toxic chemicals to your Thanksgiving dinner?

Sarah Jamal, Toxics program coordinator,  environmental defence

- Sarah Jamal

 

Traditions are a big part of Thanksgiving, and every family has their own special way of celebrating. From stuffing the turkey to doing arts and crafts with the kids, this holiday is a time for friends and family to come together, share gratitude, and eat delicious food.

We all have our go-to recipes and habits that we turn to year after year—but we can unknowingly be inviting some unwanted guests to the party. This guide offers useful tips and tricks to transform your dinner party into a toxic-free celebration.

DON’T INVITE: NON-STICK PANS

Life with kids can be a messy business and the promise of making clean-up easier is appealing. Non-stick cookware has been popular because, well, it’s non-stick—convenient to use and clean, especially on Thanksgiving when the dishes seem to continuously stack up.

Most non-stick cookware is aluminum coated with a synthetic polymer called poly tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which contains toxic perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and is used by well-known nonstick cookware brands like Teflon. Research shows that some PFCs are linked to cancer and can be toxic to developing brains. That means pregnant women, and the developing fetus, are especially vulnerable.

For some non-stick products, there is little risk with normal daily usage. But problems may arise with improper use: for example, nonstick pans when used on high heat (higher than 450°F) can release PFCs into food, and toxic fumes into the air. Pans with non-stick coatings are also more likely to contaminate food once the coatings are scratched and have begun to break down.

Luckily, some PFCs have been phased out of industrial production, but others such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) remain on the market in many products with non-stick coatings, in food packaging (like fast food wrappers), and in fabrics treated to be water-resistant.